#datprivilege

[jhenne-bean]

I know that racism is still prevalent in the US, and the world. It's awful and yes we should aspire to change it obviously. I think it's great that you care so much about it and I wish other people cared more too, but why does everything you post about have to be about race? I'm white and I know I have no room to complain, if I could change things I would. But still, saying "stupid white people" all the time isn't moving us forward, isn't generalizing a whole race something you are against?

The only reason I say this is because a lot of comments you make are reasons why I feel ashamed to be white. And I don’t feel like anyone should be ashamed of what they are, despite what ancestors did, no matter what race, religion, sex, etc.

————————————————————————————————

UGH ANON we did this alreaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaady back when I had like 8,000 more spoons to my name and a friendly smile and a twinkle in my eye. (You should have been there. I was adorbs.)

But I will try again! 

but why does everything you post about have to be about race? 

You get to ask that because you are White, and are afforded tremendous and lifelong privilege just by virtue of your race!

White Privilege 101!

But still, saying “stupid white people" all the time isn’t moving us forward, isn’t generalizing a whole race something you are against?

I’m not generalizing an entire race, bc “White" isn’t a race~

I don’t say that shit “all the time". Like, at all. :|

 I will answer in links to references, because I think you should have the freedom to read up and examine your own thought process re: what I do on my blog, and because I have no idea what you’re addressing (a specific joke I don’t remember? My general attitude? The overall vibe of my blog? We just don’t know.)

#a-lot-of my-friends-are-White

Anywho, it must be crushing to live with all that White (semi-liberal) guilt, so here are some links you should check out:

Racism 101

Hating White Privilege =/= Hating Whitey 

On Criticizing “White People"

This List: Primarily 3, 7, 8, 10, 13, and 19.

And finally, this list.

Also this:

“I can simultaneously be angry with white supremacy and love white people. I can be in love with a white woman and hate her ignorance at her own white privilege. I can get so frustrated with racism that I barely want to be around any white people, and I can share that with my white friends over a few drinks.

You might think that’s confusing. You might even call it hypocrisy. I call it being a person of color."

All that said, I will always continue to blog about race, privilege, isms, media, etc. just as I have in the past. 

If it makes you uncomfortable, feel free to unfollow!

If you checked out the links up top and want to stick around and ask more questions (after. you’ve. checked. out. the. above.) you’re absolutely welcome to do so. I mean it.

vOv

~

[jhenne-bean]

Yo, Hussie changed the joke and made an apology on his tumblr... I think he did the right thing, i guess?

{thanks for sharing anon~}

As for Hussie:

Like, first off, even given the context of tricksters and puns and Jane and food--

PEACHY IS STILL KIND OF A SUBTLE JAB, which he openly admits in his apology:

If that is an interpretation that will commonly persist I’d rather just ditch the joke. Or at least tone it way down, which I did.

Hussie, while talented, is a privileged and irresponsible creator, and I am like done to the doneth power. 

Don't get me wrong, I can read his apology and get a media studies boner as he describes the nature of Homestuck and his interaction with fandom and all, but the ~*self-reflexivity*~ of his comic and knowledge of the Trickster mode history was not enough to make his joke funny, or make his joke come across as "let's make fun of no one in general trololol~" He failed. He is a fail whale.

Good for him and his apology.

Good for him and explaining his intention with the "joke."

Good for him for setting the record straight on his (still problematic) position.

I'm glad he did it, and it was a "right" way of dealing with shittier fans.

I'm GLAD the fucked up nature of his more racist fandom corner "doesn't sit right with him."

GOOD.

Buuuuuut nope. Still done.

Donedone

{don't internalize my vitriol anon, I unsarcastically appreciate your ask~}

[jhenne-bean]

Were there many examples of the systematic oppression of and discrimination against non-benders prior to the rise of the Equalists in LoK? I absolutely agree that the topic should have been addressed more thoroughly but outside of bender exclusive jobs, I don't remember any instances of non-benders regularly being stepped on.

Well LoK as a series started at the rise of the Equalists, hahaha.

Anywho, bending is an inherent power that some have and some don't; those that have it aren't necessarily better off automatically, but they do have undeniable advantages. (Off the cuff, I'll relate this to White privilege. I'm not saying that's what Bryke was aiming to illustrate at all, but using it as an example.) You're White, you have White privilege. That doesn't mean you're not on the lower end of the scale in terms of, say, classism/poverty, yadida?)Bryke set up this world and they set up power dynamics, and if those weren't going to be "a thing" in their universe, then they probably shouldn't have introduced them at all. xD Between the Avatar and her privilege, between rich and poor, between benders and non-benders. There's a lot of room for intersectionality and all these dynamics to be explored and in the end? Pffft :P Handling fail. Considering the meandering plot and extra helpings of shipping, hoping for "many examples" of oppression is really realllly wishful thinking. But I will give you a link to that thinger I saw on Racebending that summarized some points nicely. xD 

((And I mean, considering things like the Comet giving a raiding nation OVER 9000 additional hitpoints when attacking the Earth Kingdom, I think it's safe to say that bending privilege is a thing that has existed for a while now.))

The "regularly being stepped on" sentiment is one that I think is harmful in terms of looking at the show critically, simply because we can't possibly have a non-bender being, idk, smacked around and spit on in the background of every scene, haha. Kind of like irl certain apologists will counter with "well it's not REAL racism! No KKK hoods!" I'm not saying that's your mindset of course; just explaining why I'm iffy about that manner of rationalization. To me, the non-benders of RC read as a marginalized group. It's complex, but their situation is one of inequality. 

Idk I'm rambling it's 2am and I have work in the morning SO

These links are pretty good:

http://racebending.tumblr.com/post/25885514332/rairii-gringatalquina-atla-annotated <- Particularly gringatalquina's response. 

http://ahollowyear.tumblr.com/post/25515606695/am-i-the-only-one

http://fight4amon.tumblr.com/ <- Skim through this blog!

http://isitscary.tumblr.com/post/25735890768/a-few-thoughts-on-the-lok-finale <- Mostly the first part

Haha, let me know if that helps!

[jhenne-bean]

AY. RILEY WAS RIGHT FROM THE VERY FIRST LEAK, AND I ADMIT I WAS WRONG. I MISPLACED MY TRUST IN THE ABILITY OF BRYKE TO PROPERLY EXPLORE/HANDLE SUBJECT MATTER SUCH AS PRIVILEGE.

I SAID I WOULD.

BECAUSE WHAT.

YOU CANNOT GET TO THE MEATY STUFF AND THEN PULL BACK LIKE "LOL WHOOPS THERE'S NO EASY BLACK/WHITE ANSWER HERE BETTER IGNORE IT ALTOGETHER."

I understand it's a kid's show, but deep/complex subject matter can be introduced in kids shows. 

Ugh.

Bryke

I TRUSTED YOU

I BELIEVED IN YOU

WE COULD'VE HAD IT ALLLLLLLLL

[jhenne-bean]

Hey, I haven't gotten into the whole Korra fandom, but I've seen some of the stuff you've reblogged and all, and something I never got about the whole 'white privilege' thing was why that was that type of privilege chosen to represent whatever issues are going on? Yes, it's a common type of privilege, but the effects of privilege seem to be kind of similar irrelevant of origin. I guess my question here is why aren't people just saying 'magical powers privilege' or something similar?

Nyeeeeeeeh. *so-so hand wave* Well, as for that last part; it's probably because "magical powers privilege" isn't a thing, or rather, a thing that has any bearing on our world. xD So when critically looking at a show such as Korra, it does make sense to consider real world parallels. (And LoK is certainly set to address the issues of privilege and oppression.) 

To that end, I'm not entirely sure why white privilege/White Savior-ism was what the narrative has been read as either. It undoubtedly has merit as a comparison, but it seems like some fans are looking for a treatment of White privilege in the show itself (and the handling of characters specifically as White Saviors, etc) when that's not what the show is about or what the character is intended to be. That doesn't make sense to me. As for the effects of privilege being similar irrelevant of origin; idkkkk, I'm hesitant to get behind that statement. I say that because class-based privilege isn't race-based privilege isn't color-based privilege isn't sexuality based privilege, etc. They don't function in an interchangeable manner, though they aren't mutually exclusive either. I think these responses kind of get at what you mean?  

Ultimately, I just don't agree with the notion that Korra is a White Savior, or the subsequent idea that Amon is implied to be a Civil Rights Leader by proxy. vOv

[jhenne-bean]

I wanted to really thank you for how you responded to my cosplaying post, and for the amazing point I managed to completely forget in regards to Caucasians vs Asians. I've been getting a lot of (honestly expected) shit over that journal, and it's really nice that at least some people responding are being cool about it. So thanks! :3

Well I'm glad you found my question to be cooler than others, I suppose. :) However, I think the vitrol you might have experienced is deserved. In essence, I do agree with most of the people that are responding to your post; what you're saying is problematic and smacks of privilege. You speak as if the "hurdles" you mention (race, weight, etc.) need to be surpassed. That hopefully, if you work really, realllly hard and wish upon a star, that someday people can enjoy your efforts despite the fact that you're Black/overweight/whathaveyou. That is inherently problematic, and while I know you didn't mean it that way, you really should consider it. Opinions like that create a level of inequality in terms of Cosplay for people of color and other marginalized groups. 

Also, the line between fake tans and you know, racism is tricky, and I would advise against it. With colorface being racist and all. And of course, that still plays into the idea that a lighter skinned player can use a tanner and get an A-OK pass, while a darker player wanting to play a lighter one is just shit out of luck, and had better sew the Hell out of that costume to be more "accurate" so people will "enjoy it." 

The costumes, attitude, overall awesomeness should speak for itself, really. 

I hope that makes sense.